Disclaimer: This E-liquid was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of conducting a review. This fact notwithstanding, I will, as best I'm able, provide an honest, accurate and unbiased assessment of this product.
In my review of Decadent Vapour's Apple Pie http://vapour-taster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/apple-pie-by-decadent-vapours.html I wrote briefly about the Decadent Movement of the late nineteenth century, which was a literary and artistic movement in Europe dedicated to the liberation and promulgation of beauty, elegance, artifice and the life of the imagination. Absinthe ("la fée verte" (the green fairy)) was valued and consumed in great quantities by the artists and writers of this period because of its supposed psychoactive properties. Apparently, unscrupulous Absinthe producers were known to take shortcuts in colouring the liquid by adding toxic substances (Copper Salts or Antimony Trichloride, for example). It's been suggested that these additives, rather than anything else in the liquid may have been responsible for the hallucinogenic properties that Absinthe was said to have. It's been noted that the inebriation that follows drinking of Absinthe is distinctive in that it bestows upon the consumer a certain clear headedness, or "lucid drunkenness". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe Any talk of inebriation in this review is moot though; we're vaping Absinthe flavoured vapour which has no intoxicants in it, beyond of course, the nicotine.
Absinthe by Decadent Vapours http://www.decadent-vapours.com/en/ is available in 10 (£4.95) or 30ml (£14.95) bottles at nicotine strengths of 0, 8, 11, 18, 24 and 36mg and PG/VG ratios of 100/0, 0/100 or 50/50.
The 10ml bottle that I received is an easily squeezed, vivid green plastic with a childproof, black plastic, screw-top cap. The dripper is a 1cm long plastic needle. The label contains a wealth of information, which is as follows: the name of the liquid, the brand name, the words "Premium E-Liquid", the quantity of liquid in ml, nicotine strength in mg, the base liquid (PG, VG or both), the batch number, a use by date, an ingredients list, the Decadent Vapours contact details, warning symbols, a tactile triangle which complies with EU law regarding the sale and storage of toxic substances, first aid advice, storage advice, and an advisory suggesting that the product not be sold to, or be used by persons under the age of eighteen years.
The colour of the liquid is a clear, very pale, desaturated Paris Green http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_green#Paris_green which happens to be one of my favourite colours (it speaks to me of nineteenth century machinery), and the aroma that issues from the bottle is an unambiguous anise.
As usual, I'm vaping Absinthe in an Igo-L on a mechanical mod with a freshly charged 18650 battery. The flavour of Anise and therefore Absinthe, is so unlike anything else I've ever tasted. The immediate sensation in the mouth is sweetness on the forward edge and tip of the tongue which is followed closely by what I can best describe as a type of umami flavour. Umami is traditionally associated with protein rich foods and is described as having a savoury, brothy quality. It could be that I'm way off the mark, but the flavour of anise doesn't seem to me to fit neatly into any of the other conventionally accepted flavour categories. There is perhaps a certain salty, mildly piquant, metallic quality to the flavour but oddly enough I find myself associating it most strongly with umami. Prolonged vaping of Absinthe produces a mild anaesthetic sensation in the tongue, or lack of sensation as the case may be.
If I draw the vapour down into my lungs slowly I experience a significant throat hit but if I draw the vapour down forcefully there's no throat hit at all. Vapour production, despite the 100% PG content is substantial, though not as voluminous or as enduring as a more VG heavy vapour.
For as long as I can remember, I've disliked liquorice and have avoided it and anything tasting remotely like it. I've never drunk Ouzo, Absinthe or Chartreuse and I've avoided black jelly beans like the plague. So, it was with a measure of reluctance that I opened Decadent Vapour's Absinthe and prepared to vape it. Imagine my surprise when I realised my distaste for anise and/or liquorice turned to genuine partiality for this flavour. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've been vaping Absinthe constantly for several days now. Intoxicated? No, but a certain convert to anise... absolutely. It doesn't mean I'll be reaching for the black jelly beans, but it does mean I'll be looking forward to my next Absinthe flavoured vape.
